Faisalabad: hundreds of "white ribbons" to protest against violence against women

by Shafique Kholkar

On the eve of International Women's Day, hundreds of people march to demand an end to abuse in all its forms. They appeal to the government for "new laws" to protect women, who are discriminated in the family and the workplace. This battle is "cultural" as well as societal in a country that does not fully recognise equal rights for women.

Faisalabad (AsiaNews)
- The government must adopt "new laws" to protect women, particularly
in cases of "domestic violence" or when abuses are committed by the "state
machine," in prison for example where government officials are the ones
who perpetrate the worst
crimes, this according to protesters who rallied yesterday as part of the 'White
Ribbon Campaign' in front of the Faisalabad Press Club, in Punjab.

Called 'Time for
Action to End Violence against Women', the rally was held two days before International
Women's Day, which will be celebrated around the world tomorrow, 8 March.

Hundreds of
people from Pakistan's many communities, various walks of life and different religions,
answered the call made by activists from the Peace and Human Development (PHD) Foundation,
the Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM) and the
Adara Samaji Behbood (ASB), which have always been at the forefront of human rights protection.

Wearing "white
ribbons" as a symbol of opposition to violence against women, demonstrators
chanted and shouted slogans against abuses against women, which are commonplace
across the country.

Protesters called
on the government and parliament to take "concrete measures" against
gender-based discrimination and against all forms of violence, be they
physical, sexual, emotional, and economic, that occur within the family, most
often in an atmosphere of total silence.

For PHD
Foundation Director Suneel Malik, the campaign aims to raise awareness
especially among men, who are called to eradicate all forms of violence against
women.

This kind of
violence is
a gross violation of human rights, he explained, but "regrettably there is a
general acceptance of violence based on gender diversity."

In fact, most "people
do not recognise its many forms [. . .], but rather consider it an integral
part of the culture and the fate of women." What is more, "When the state fails
to prosecute the perpetrators, this [. . .] only encourages further abuse".

AWAM director Nazia
Sardar agrees. In Pakistan, prevention and repression are a problem because there
is no constant and efficient monitoring. For
this reason, the government should implement better controls and ensure that
laws are enforced.

Women's rights
activist Shazia George blames the "patriarchal system," which
prevents victims from even reporting their aggressors.

For Naseem
Anthony, Pakistan's "dual system" of law, based on Islam and tribal traditions,
does not give sufficient legal protection and opportunities to women.

National
Minority Alliance-Pakistan (NMAP) president Robin Daniel made serious
allegations against the police, in theory charged with protecting people, but who
are "in some cases" involved in violence against women, especially
"in prison and shelters."

ASB President Irshad
Parkash noted an "urgent need for reform," even in the workplace, whilst
activist and educator Khadim Patras spoke about women from religious minorities,
who are victims twice, because of their gender as well as their religious
belief.

Often abducted, non-Muslim
women are forced to convert to Islam and marry Muslim men, leaving their family
with little recourse in the face of indifferent government authorities.

With a
population of more than 180 million people (97 per cent Muslim), Pakistan is
the sixth most populous country in the world, the second largest Muslim nation
after Indonesia.

About 80 per
cent of Muslims are Sunni, whilst Shias are 20 per cent. Hindus are 1.85 per
cent, followed by Christians (1.6 per cent) and Sikhs (0.04 per cent).

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